Timed bottom feeder



P 6, 1958 P. E. FISCHER 2,852,255

TIMED BOTTOM FEEDER Filed May 22, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. B404 EJ /JCHER Sept. 16, 1958 P. E. FISCHER TIMED BOTTOM FEEDER Filed May 22, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a r mm W mm p g m, mF M E. A M l P w@ E Sept. 16, 1958 P. E. FISCHER TIMED BOTTOM FEEDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 22, 1953 E m m N V M R mm 1 w m T E A E L I 3. u E A L 59 B If E mw m United States Patent C) TIMIED BOTTOM FEEDER Paul E. Fischer, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to E. G. Staud Manufacturing Company, Inc., Concord, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application'May 22, 1953, Serial: No. 356,789

SCIaims. (Cl.- 271-32) This invention relates to a blank feeding device'and more'particularly to a device for feeding'uniformly 'one ata time in a predetermined'timedrelation fronrthe bottomof a' stack of blanks ofpaper, cardboardorthe like in' preparation for folding, gluing, etc; in the making of envelopes; cartons, boxes and the like. Heretoforein machines for making envelopes, cartons; boxes'and the like'there. have been provided principally two'systems of feeding. In the one system blanks are fed off the top of the .stack, the stack being slid over edgewise so as to expose uniform narrow edges of each of'the blanks. In this form' of feeding the' slid-over stack is gradually moved down an incline by feed belts and the edges of successive blanks are picked up (or are supposed to 'be picked up) one at a time by the exposed edge portion and fed one at a time through the machine on which the device is used. The fundamental diificulty with this-form of feeding is that it is somewhat irregular in its operation because of the impossibility of sliding over a stackof blanks so that a uniform'edge of each of the blanks in thestack will be exposed. Arranging the stack thus-is a human operation and requires considerable' skill and there are instances'when two or more blanks will hang together or be insufficiently exposed so as to permit their withdrawal one at a time from the top of the stack. This -is particularly true in respect to blanks cut from metal laminated paper sheets such as aluminum foil laminated to cardboard orto paper, metal coated paper or cardboard, waxed carton blanks, lacquered blanks, cardboard blanks coated With silicon compounds or polyethyelene, or the like. Such materials hang together and do not fan out as is required for top feeders;

In another form of blank feeding device, now commonly used, the blanks are fed one at a time off the bottom of the stack, being supported along their edges" by suitable-guides and provided with a rolling support along the edge opposite-the feeding edge. This rolling support forces the bottom of the' stack slightly out of line in the feeding direction. In this form of blank feeding device the'bottom of the stack is held against .a steel support or nose which runs in very close contact against a wheel having a smooth metallic exterior throughout a substantial portion of its circumference, the wheel being provided with a rubber or other high friction insert at one place through a short are of its circumference. The rubber or higher friction insert is supposed frictionally to engage the bottommost blank and start it to moving under the guide or nose, which is vertically adjusted 'so as to permit a single thickness ofthe blank to pass thereunder. In this form of feeding device irregularities of operation are also encountered due to the fact that the blanks hang together and frequently will feed two at a time with the result that two blanks are started between the metallic or steelguide or nose, and the smooth metallic rim of the wheel carrying the rubber inserts. When this occurs the entire blank feeding'device may be'jammed and the machine stopped since the metallic nose must be adjusted very close-to the-feeding wheel for normal operation and the passage of more than one blank therethrough produces such a crowdingand friction as to stop the machine.

It is the principal-objectvof this invention'to provide an improvedform of a timed feeding device wherein single feeding of blanks from the bottom of a stackmay be accomplished with great regularity and" without interruption.

It is another object of this. invention to provide an improved form of a bottom feed blank feeder which is of reliable operation and is easy' to adjust and use.

his a further object of this invention toprovide a blank feeding device wherein blanks are fed oif'the bottomvof the stack and heldfrom feeding by agate operating very close to the rim of a supporting wheel having a uniform smooth rim throughout its entire circumference and in which the blanks are started by a continuous fi'exible belt'having spaced apart pads thereupon adapted to frictionally' engage the leading edges of the blanksto be fed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide-a timed bottom feeder'in which the blanks. are startedby spaced apart resilient pads of a materialhaving a high coefficient offriction carried upon a continuous flexible belt.

A- still further object of this'inventio-n is to provide a timed'bottom feeding device for. blanks wherein the blanksare started by spaced apart flexible means carried upon-a continuous flexible belt and adapted to applyfsuction' tothe bottom of the leading edge of each of the blanks. to be fed. in sequence.

Other objects. will become apparent as the description proceeds;

To the accomplishment of the foregoing andrelated ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly'pointed out in? the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but'a few ofthe various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed;

The present invention constitutes an improvement over the invention described and claimed in applicantsicopending application'Serial No. 307,513 filed September 2, 1952', now abandoned. In the blank feeding device of that application the blanks are fed off'the bottom 'of the stack and are held from feeding by a gate ofa resilient material operating veryclose tothe rim" of "a supporting wheel having a uniform smoothrim throughoutits entire circumference, the blanks being-;startedby other wheels for feeding. These other wheels are of substantially the same diameter'as the gate Wheel? and have spaced apart insets of a -resilient' frictional material in the rims thereof for frictionally contactingth'e'leading edge of the bottomblank in a stack.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawing in which corresponding numerals; refer to the-same parts and inwhichr Figure 1 is a perspective view of the blank feeding'device of the'present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical'sectional 'view ofthe blank fee'd ing device:

Figure 3 is a vertical elevation, partly broken' away and in section oftlie portion of'the'blank feeding-device in the=vicinit y of thecontrol gate showing a modified form of 'means'for'engagingthe blanks by suction to startthem through'the'gate, and

Figure -4'-' is a a vertical sectional view taken along the line and'in the direction of the arrows 44-' of Fi'gure 3"; showing in more detailthe means'for applying suction to the'bottoms-of the blank's.- v

Referring"now-to' thedrawings, the machine generally- 3 on which the apparatus of the present invention forms a component may be an envelope, box, carton or the like forming machine, and has a bed generally designated Ill on which the blank feeding assembly shown in the drawings is mounted usually at one end. In this form of machine the blanks, once they are fed, are then carried in uniform spaced relation by belts or rollers. This invention is concerned only with the initial feeding of the blanks.

Upon the bed there are adjustably mounted one or more horizontal rails 11A and 11B which serve as supports and mountings for a plurality of guides verticall' arranged for supporting the blanks. These guides include a pair of rear side guides generally designated 12A and 12B. These guides have base structures 13A and 13B each provided with a slot 14 in its lower face arranged to slide along the gibs or ways 15A and 15B that are carried on the top of the rails 11A and 113. A suitabl clamping screw threaded into the back side of each of block 13A and 1313 applies pressure to the gibs 15A and 15B thereby clamping the blocks in place. Each of the rear side guides is made up of two vertical rails 18 and 19 arranged at right angles to one another so as to form a corner for supporting one corner of a stack of blanks BL as shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that all blanks not being of the same shape and configuration,

that some variation in the shapes of the rails 18 and 19 may be required so as to fit appropriately the edges of certain shapes of blanks and hold them from displacement during their downward feeding movement. Two front side guides 20A and 20B, similar to the rear side guides, but providing side support only, are slidably mounted on the gibs or ways of the machine in the same manner.

It will be noted that in this description that like elements differing only with respect to their location on opposite sides of the machine bear the same numeral and are differentiated by the letters A and B, the latter A designating generally the left hand side of the machine when looking in the direction of feeding, and the letter B designating the right hand side. Thus, Figure 2 shows primarily the right hand or B side of the machine.

The side of the stack which is in the direction of feeding rests against a pair of vertical guides, only one of which 22B is shown in Figure 1. Vertical guide 22B is suitably supported by the bracket 2313 which is arranged to be mounted on a track 24 on the upper frame of the machine. The brackets are held in place by bolts so that they may be adjusted sideways across the width of the frame in order to accommodate blanks of Various sizes. It will be noted that the brackets are slotted and therefore the guides may be moved forward or rearward or slid sideways along the frame so as to permit the guides to be positioned universally and accurately for various types of blanks and with reference to the control gate mechanism generally designated to which attention is now directed.

The gate mechanism or feed control guide generally designated 35 is likewise supported on a bracket 36 attached by the screw 37 to the cross frame member 24, the bracket 36 being slotted so as to permit it and the control gate mechanism 35 to be moved universally, for example, as shown by the double arrow 38 thereby permitting the entire guide 35 to be moved in the direction of feeding or opposite the direction of feeding or from side to side.

By means of the front vertical guides such as 2213 and the control gate mechanism 35, the entire stack of blanks BL may be held from displacement. The frame 10 is provided at the feeding station with a shaft 40 on which there is mounted a wheel 41 under the control mechanism 35 and forming a part of the gate. Wheel 41 has a smooth exterior surface of low coeflicient of friction throughout its entire periphery. This wheel, which in its preferred form is of metal such as steel or cast iron,

has a rim which is polished throughout its circumference and thus has a uniform coefficient of friction throughout its circumference. The frame 10 is also provided with a horizontal shaft 42 on which is mounted a toothed wheel 43 forward of the control gate mechanism, and another horizontal shaft 45 on which is mounted a toothed wheel 46 to the rearward of the control gate mechanism. Shafts 42 and 45 are mounted parallel to shaft 4t) and wheels 43 and 46 are mounted in a plane adjacent to, but to one side of, wheel 41. Rotatably mounted in the same plane as toothed wheels 43 and 46 are toothed guide wheels 47 and 48. An endless flexible cogbelt 5% is fitted over the teeth of wheels 43, 46, 47 and 48. Uniformly spaced apart on the outer surface of belt 50 are a plurality of pads 51 of a material having a high coefficient of friction such as, for example, sponge rubber, Compar, a polyvinyl resin having properties resembling synthetic rubber, and the natural and synthetic rubber and rubber-like materials, comprising one form of blank engaging means of this invention. One or more of these sets of toothed wheels and continuous belt having a material of a high coefficient of friction upon its outer surface constitute one form of the feeding means of the instant blank feeder.

Referring momentarily to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown here a modified and alternative form of feeding or starting means for engaging the bottom surfaces of the successive blanks to be fed adjacent their leading edge for starting the blanks through the control feed gate. In this form of feeding means, the engaging force may be due entirely to applied suction or may be due to the combined action of suction and frictional contact with a material having a high coefficient of friction depending upon the material of which pad 51A is made.

In the alternative form of starting means a toothed guide wheel 47A is mounted on a stationary shaft threaded at both ends and fixed to a portion of the frame 10A, in part by means of nut 125 threaded on the shaft. The guide wheel is mounted on the shaft by means of bearing structure 111 so as to be freely rotatable on the stationary shaft. The inner race of the bearing is held by means of quill 112 against a spacing collar 112A fitting through an opening in guide member 105 and against the frame. Thus, guide member 105 is pivotally mounted on the spacing collar for movement upward or downward to vary the angle at which belt 50A enters the zone of the feed control gate. The toothed guide wheel is provided with a plurality of spaced radial ports 113 radiating inwardly from the periphery of the raised teeth 114 of the wheel. Ports 113 terminate in a plurality of transverse channels 115 running axially of the wheel closed at one end and opening at the other onto smooth annular face 116 of the guide Wheel. This smooth annular face 116 of the guide wheel rotates in close sliding contact with the opposing smooth annular face 117 of circular gland member 118 so that the open end of channel 115 is periodically in registry and direct fluid communication with an opposing channel 119 opening at one end onto the annular face 117 of circular gland member 118 and at the other end in communication through channel 120, coupling 121 and tubing 122 with any convenient and conventional vacuum source (not shown). Gland member 118 is keyed at 123 to shaft 11% against rotation and the smooth opposing annular faces 116 and 117 are maintained in close sliding relation by means of a coil spring 124 around the shaft held by nut 125A threaded onto the end of the shaft. The action of the coil spring urging smooth annular face 117 of the block in close sliding contact against smooth annular face 116 of the toothed guide wheel provides an effective seal for the vacuum applied to the communicating channels. The gland member is positioned so that channel 119 will be in communication with the uppermost axial channel 113.

The belt 50A and the flexible engaging pads 51A used in the modified form of starting means may if desired be of the. same materials and in all respect similar to-the form discussed above with respect to; belt-50. and pads, 51 except that they are provided with a plurality of spaced apart holes or ports 128 flared outwardly as at 129m theupper surface of the pads. These holesare so positioned, extending outwardly from the depressions or valleys. 130 between the cog teeth 131 of the belt, as to periodically come into registry and direct fluid communication with the corresponding vacuum ports 113. inthe teeth of guide wheel 47A as the belt is guided over it justbefore entering the control feed gate.

At the same time that holes 128 throughv the belt 50A and pad 51A are in registry and direct fluidcommunicationwithports 113 in the guide wheel, the open endof channel 115 is in registry and direct fluid communicationwith channel 119 and thence through channel 120, coupling 121 and tubing 122 with the vacuum means so that a vacuum is drawn through the communicating Channels and suction is applied to the bottom, surface adjacent'the leading edge of the bottom-most blank, gripping it and engaging it and urging it forward into-and through the control gate. As the vacuum is being broken andthe suction released from the first set of. holes .in the pad, the pad, belt and guide wheel have all advanced. so that. the second set of holes in the pad and belt are. coming into registry and direct fluid communication with the succeeding set of ports in the guide wheel and the open end of succeeding channel 115 is coming into registry and direct fluid communication with channel 119 and a vacuum is drawn through the succeeding set of communicating channels so that by means of this applied suction engaging the bottom surface of the bottom-most blank, the blank is urged farther through the gate. Successive sets of holes, ports and communicating channels coming into registry with the channels connecting the .vacuum means move the blank along until it is picked up by. delivery rollers as described inmore detailbelow.

Because the engaging force applied by the suction and vacuum means through the ports and holes in thebelt and pad will in most cases be sufficient to advance the bottom-most blank without assistance, the, material of which the pads 51A are made need not have a high-coefficient of friction butv may even be formed of a material having a negligiblecoeflicientof friction. For example, the pads 51A could be flexible articulatedsteel pads formed of a plurality of segments or bars carrying the vacuum ports. In most cases, however, the pads 51A will be more conveniently formed of a natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like material which has inherently a relatively high coeflicient of friction so that the advantages of the dual engaging forces will be available for advancing and feeding the successive blanks into and through the control feed gate.

Referring back to Figures 1 and 2, in addition to the foregoing wheel 41, there may be also optionally included one or more wheels 52 on shaft 40 which may serve to carry the belts or chains by which the blanks (when fed) are carried through the machine. It is to be understood, however, that the means which carry the blanks away from the feeder may constitute an extension of the feeder itself or may be entirely separate carrying means. In some cases the feeder may feed the blanks directly into the machine which is to carry on the next operation, be it box making, envelope making or the like.

A pair of driven rollers 55 and 56 close to the feeding station immediately pick up the leading edge of each blank as it is fed and quickly drags it out from under the stack and in cooperation with a pair of rollers 57 and 58 delivers-it to further conveying means.

The details of construction of the control feed gate mechanism 35 are described in detail in said copending application Serial No. 307,513, now abandoned, and do not per se form a part of this invention apart from the combination recited in the claims.

The control feed gate mechanism 35 is composed of a mounting plate 60'to which. there is-:attached an upper plate 61. The-.mountingplate is held. in place -on" the bracket 36 by a pair of screws-62- which. pass. through the plate 63. The-screws 62.carry a-slide block andythe'tips of the screws are.threaded;into-the-plate 60. .As a-resul't, the block is a projection from the. back of the plate 60 and this projection slides in a slot. in thezdependingportion 66fromthebracket36. By adjustment of-screws 62, the entire feed gatemechanismfiScan be caused tohave a. snugsliding fit vertically with reference to;the bracket 36, sideway displacement beingpreventedby flanges 67 on the depending portion 66: of the bracket. 36; The vertical adjustment of the plate'60-is obtained by. means of. an ear' 69 projecting forwardly therefrom. Underneath theear and between it and thebracket arm 36-.is.a spring 70 normally tending to. pushthe ear 69 and hence the plate 60 in an upwarddirection, butxsuch' motion-is resisted by an adjusting, screw 71. threaded-into the bracket 36, the screw preferably. being-provided with a knurled upper end for easy manipulation. Accordingly, by turning the screw 71 in one: direction. or: the other, theentire plate 6.0 may. be causedto. move up or down with reference to the bracket 36.- Rearward. of the. plate 60, as-shownin the drawings, there is. attached a boxvlike contrivance 75 of-sheetmetal that is fastened in place by. thescrews 76 threadedinto the opposite edges of the plate 60. This box serves as a slideway for containing. a block 78. of metal, rubber, synthetic resin or thelike. The block 78 should be heldin the slideway 75 with a snug fit. Block 78v is-arranged to beradjusted.downwardly by means ofv a threaded. member terminating inrthumb nut 86. Accordingly, by turning. the: thumb nut 86 morev or less pressure may be exerted on-the block 78.. Ifthe block is turned too far down it' maybe raised by. turning screw 71.

The. member 78 is curved offr'or chamfered. at its lowest end, the curve being downward and in the direction of feeding. and its lower tip.surface rides almost in'contaet with the smooth rim of the wheel 41.

The forwardedge'of the loWermost-blankrests on the rim of wheel 41 along asurface indicated generally by the dottedline 90 of Figure 1. No other. under support for the column of blanks is providedv except at-the rear edge and this consists of one or more rollers 92A and 92B. The rollers 92A. and 92B are'mounted on rods 93A and 93B; the rods inturn being adjustabl-y mounted by means of clamping screws 94A and 94B in the adjustable brackets 95A and 95B supported. upon the cross frame member 96 which is a round rod. The brackets are held in'place by clamping screws 97A and 97B. Accordingly, by adjusting the bracketsand by adjustingthe rodswithin the brackets, the periphery of. the rollers may e. positioned. as needed. The rollersare best adjusted so. as to project into the space defined by the guiding plates 18 and 19 on the vertical guides 12A and 12B. The guides 12A and 12B are'in practice. adjusted was to be slightly less. thanthe width of the blank in the direction of. feeding and accordingly theblanks are. held in the guides in a slantwise fashion as. shown in Figure 2 with the edges in the feeding direction lower than the opposite edges. The bottom of the stack is supported on the feeding edge only by the rim of wheel 41 and at the rear edge only. by rollers 92A and 92B and is-consequently permittedto bow downwardly as at BL prime. Accordingly, there is some separation between the several blanks in the lower portion of the stack, asindicated, resulting in a progressively increasing downward bowing of the blanks toward the bottom of the stack. The lower portion of the stack progresses downwardly against the rollers 92A-and 92B andsince the rollers may turn freely inthe direction of the arrow 100, they offer no impediment to the withdrawal of thebottommost blank in the stack, but indeed enhance that motion. Furthermore, the position of the rollers 92A. and 92B tends to urge the. blanks in-the bottom ofthe stack generally inthe 7 direction of the arrow 102 in Figure 2 forcing them always against the under curved oif surface of the block 78 of the feet gate control mechanism 35.

As will be noted from Figure 2, the blanks approaching the bottom of the stack slip a little bit in a forward direction being forced edgewise against the curved or chamfered front surface of the block 78 of the feed gate mechanism and are held from downward movement by the smooth exterior surface of the rim of the wheel 41 which runs Without undue frictional pull on the under edge surface of the lowermost blank. The block 78 is adjusted so that its nose is just slightly off the rim of wheel 41 by the thickness of one blank and accordingly each blank is held from sliding out under the nose 'of the block. The frictional pull of the rim of the wheel 41 is insufficient to force the blank through the tight gate, that is, the wheel 41 having a smooth rim of low coefficient of friction thruout its periphery does not have enough pull on the lower edge surface of the bottom blank to start it under the nose of the block 78. However, when the rubber or other high coefficient pads 51 or suction pads 51A on belt 50 run into contact with the lower surface of the lowermost blank, an additional impelling force is imposed upon the lowermost blank in the stack and it is started out under the nose of block 78 and once started, the blank then moves freely out in the direction of feeding which is to the left as shown in Figure 2. Once started in the feeding direction, the leading edge of the blank quickly runs into engagement with the first pair of delivery rollers 55 and 56 and thence on through the second pair 57 and 58 and on to whatever further conveying means may be provided.

In order to impose sufficient impelling force upon the lowermost blank in the stack in order to force it through the control gate, the upper surface of the leading edge of the pad of high coefiicient material on the moving belt is substantially level with the uppermost portion of the rim of wheel 41 as the belt on its forward movement passes the feeding station. Preferably, the leading edge of the pad of high coeflicient material on the suction pad enters the feeding station just slightly above the uppermost portion of the rim of wheel 41. This distance may vary, depending upon the nature of the blank being fed, but for most purposes should not much exceed the thickness of a single blank. The positioning of the belt at the control gate is determined by the positioning of adjustably mounted toothed guide wheel 47. Because of the bowing downwardly of the lowermost blanks on the stack, the frictional contact between engaging pad and the lowermost blank is not restricted to the leading edge of the pad, but may include a substantial area of the pad. As greater or lesser frictional pull is desired, greater area contact between the pads and the lowermost blank may be obtained by adjusting the forward path of the belt upwardly or downwardly. proaches the feeding station may vary from just below to slightly above the plane of feeding as shown by dotdash line 103 which shows in upper path of travel. These variations are obtained by adjusting shaft 45 upwardly and downwardly in slots 104, that movement thus being imparted to toothed wheel 46 and guide member 105.

One or more feed belts operated side-by-side in unison may be employed, depending upon the needs imposed by the particular type of blanks being fed. Likewise, the width of the belts and the length of the pads may be varied within wide limits all depending upon the nature and sizes of the blanks. Instead of the belt as illustrated (which is an endless rubber belt having cog teeth molded upon its inner surface) any similar endless belt such as an endless chain belt may be employed instead. The spacing of the pads of rubber or other material having a high coefiicient of friction or the suction means upon the belt is dependent largely upon the dimension of the blanks in the direction of feeding. The pads should be uniformly spaced apart on the belt and the distance be- The path of the belt as it ap- 8 tween the leading edges of the effective feeding pads should be not less than the dimension of the blank in the direction of feeding and preferably at least an inch or two leeway should be provided.

It is conceivable that not all of the engaging and gripping pads need be effective as feeding means. For example, if the pads are each four inches long and are uniformly spaced apart at, say, 15 inches between the leading edges for the feeding of blanks which are 13 inches wide in the direction of feeding, the same belt may be used for the feeding of blanks being from about 20 to 27-29 inches in the direction of feeding without change. In this event, the alternate pads would strike the bottom surface of the lowermost blank at some point intermediate of the leading and trailing edges and would merely serve to supplement the action of the delivery rolls 55-56 and 57-58 which by that time would have control of the blank. If the blanks being fed were very large, or if it were desired to deliver smaller blanks widely spaced apart, the feeding belt may have only a single engaging pad upon it.

Horizontal longitudinal rails 11A and 11B are mounted on transverse rails 106 and 1H7 for sidewise movement to accommodate blanks of varying sizes. Shafts and 42 are geared so as to move any given point upon the rim of wheel 41 and on the outer edge of belt past the control gate at a substantially uniform rate. Delivery rolls -56 and 57-58 may be driven so as to deliver the blank at substantially the same speed or preferably just a little bit faster. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the machine is also provided with a shaft at 108 upon which there is rotatably mounted a bristle brush 109 which moves relative to the pads 51 on the belt 50 so as to continuously remove adherent lint and debris therefrom which may accumulate during the machine operation. This bristle brush is of particular importance when the blanks being fed are coated with wax or similar material which may accumulate upon the pads and may serve to diminish the coefiicient of friction of the frictional material of the pad if it were not immediately removed.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, the specific embodiments described are given by way of example only, and the invention is limited only by terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is: g

1. In a machine wherein blanks are moved along a substantially level plane of travel, an improved device for supporting the blanks in a stack with one edge of the blanks positioned so as to be in the direction of travel and the opposite edge positioned so as to be in the trailing edge said device being for feeding the blanks one at a time in spaced relation off the bottom of said stack for initiating said travel comprising a frame, stack support means on the frame having a plurality of upright guides thereon for maintaining the blanks as a stack, support means on the frame for supporting the trailing edge of the lowermost blank of the stack and for hence supporting that portion of the stack at a level slightly above the plane of travel, a wheel journaled on the frame and positioned in a substantially vertical plane having the periphery thereof substantially tangent to the plane of travel at the leading edge of the blank said leading edge of the lower blank of the stack resting upon the periphery of said wheel, a guide-bar along that face of the stack which is in the direction of travel, said bar being mounted on the frame so as to terminate just above the periphery of said wheel and form with the periphery of said Wheel a gate thru which only one blank can travel edgewise with the leading edge of the lowermost blank thus supported in the plane of travel, a belt having a cog face mounted so as to run over a cog drive pulley on the frame and so as to have at least one run of the belt parallel to but slightly below the plane of travel from a position adjacent the bottom of the stack and thence substantially straight and parallel to the direction of travel and to a position beyond the stack in the direction of travel, said run of the belt being alongside said wheel, and a pad of material having a high coeflicient of friction fastened on the outer face of said belt said pad being thick enough so that the exposed face of the pad is run into engagement with the lowermost blank of the stack when the pad moves along adjacent said wheel, and means on the frame for rotating the wheel and the belt together in the direction of travel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the support means is a roller mounted so that its axis is parallel with the plane of travel and is substantially in the plane of that face of the stack which corresponds to the trailing edge of the blanks.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that a rotating brush is mounted on the frame and is so positioned as to brush the face of the pad as it moves along an idle run.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that said pad is provided with ports in the exposed face thereof and means is provided for drawing a vacuum therethru as the exposed face of the belt runs in engagement with the lowermost face of the belt.

5. A feeder for feeding blanks one at a time in a feeding direction and off the bottom of a stack comprising a frame having guides thereon for holding the blanks stacked, gate means including a gate bar mounted on the frame and positioned along one face of the stack and terminating just above the level of the top surface of the lowermost blank and a gate wheel mounted for rotation in a vertical plane in the feeding direction with the axis of the wheel below the gate bar and the lowermost blank of the stack resting on the periphery of the wheel, and means for initiating movement of the blanks one at a time in the feeding direction comprising a belt mounted for movement of a portion of the belt in the feeding direction and with said portion in contact with the lowermost blank, said belt including apertures in that surface thereof which contacts the lowermost blank, and means for connecting a source of suction to said apertures as they run into contact with said lowermost blank.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that said belt is provided with at least one pad of a material having a high coefiicient of friction for engaging said blanks and the apertures are thru said pad.

7. A blank feeding device for envelope, box, carton and like machines in which the blanks when they are fed are progressed one at a time in spaced relation by rolls, belts or the like on the machine, said feeding device comprising a frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, a wheel on said shaft having a smooth rim having a low coeflicient of friction, a continuous belt mounted for movement in timed relation with said wheel, said belt having upon its outer surface at least one flexible pad adapted to engage the bottom surface adjacent to the leading edge of successive blanks, the path of the upper surface of said pad upon said belt during its forward movement being not lower than the uppermost portion of feeding for supporting the trailing edge of the blanks, and a feed control gate having a lower tip mounted substantially vertically for contact with the leading edges of the blanks, said gate having its tip adjustably positioned above and closely adjacent said wheel, said apparatus being further characterized in that there is provided a rotatable guide wheel for said continuous belt mounted below the path of travel of said belt for the support of the belt adjacent said feed control gate, ports in the periphery of said guide wheel, vacuum means for inducing suction through said guide wheel ports and further ports in said belt and pads in registry with the ports in said guide wheel.

8. A blank feeding device comprising a frame, a plurality of parallel upright guides adjustable with respect to each other for varying the horizontal extent of the area enclosed within them, at least one of said guides being a control gate positioned on the forward side of the area enclosed by said guides, said guides generally terminating along a horizontal feeding plane, a shaft substantially horizontally disposed and rotatably mounted on said frame under said control gate, a wheel on said shaft having a smooth rim of material having a low coefiicient of friction, said shaft being positioned and said wheel having a diameter such that the plane of the wheel is parallel to the direction in which the blanks are fed and the rim of said wheel is aligned with and closely beneath 'said control gate, means for rotating said wheel so that its smooth rim is adjacent the control gate and runs in the direction the blanks are to be fed, two other shafts parallel to the first shaft, one forward of the first and the other rearward of the first, wheels upon each of said other shafts, means for rotating said second wheels in timed relation with said'first wheel, a continuous belt mounted on said second wheels having upon its outer surface at least one flexible pad adapted to engage the bottom surface adjacent to the leading edge of successive blanks, the path of the upper surfacce of the pad upon said belt during its forward movement being not lower than the uppermost portion of the rim of said first wheel and a support on the frame projecting into the horizontal area defined by the guides and located opposite the control gate and at a higher level than the highest portion of the periphery of said first wheel, said control gate having a lower adjustable tip extending downwardly closely adjacent the first wheel, said apparatus being further characterized in that there is provided a rotatable guide wheel for said belt mounted below the path of travel of said belt for the support of the belt adjacent said feed control gate, ports in the periphery of said guide wheel, vacuum means for inducing suction in said guide wheel ports and ports in said belt and said pads in registry with the ports in said guide wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,340 Sturtevant Dec. 18, 1900 1,011,820 Labombarde Dec. 12, 1911 1,087,121 Ielfield Feb. 17, 1914 2,198,067 Staude Apr. 23, 1940 2,224,886 Tyler Dec. 17, 1940 2,339,835 Burkhardt Jan. 25, 1944 2,639,916 Anness May 26, 1953 2,643,119 Morrison June 23, 1953 2,659,607 Skillman Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 210,823 Germany June 14, 1909 

